Arnaldo Cohen

Arnaldo Cohen

The Brazilian-born pianist Arnaldo Cohen, now living in the United States, has long had a reputation for astonishing his audiences with the musical authority and blistering virtuosity of his performances. His graceful and unaffected platform manner belies playing of white-hot intensity, intellectual probity, and glittering bravura technique bordering on sheer wizardry. Long in demand internationally, Arnaldo has in the past few years entered a rarefied echelon among performers in America as well. He is regularly invited to appear as soloist with major orchestras, such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His solo recitals everywhere draw enthusiastic crowds of cognoscenti. Critics, too, marvel at his mixture of musical complexity and élan. "A model of balance and imagination" was Steve Smith's verdict in his review of Arnaldo's Town Hall recital in The New York Times. "His judicious use of rubato and finely honed sense of dynamic contrast gave each Prelude its own shape and character. Technically flawless in treacherously difficult selections, Mr. Cohen lavished no less care on slower, simpler ones. Mr. Cohen's performance was a model of balance and imagination."

Arnaldo is the recipient of a fellowship awarded by the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and until recently held a professorship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 2004, after living in London for 23 years, Arnaldo relocated to the United States and now holds a piano professorship with tenure at Indiana University in Bloomington where, upon his appointment, he was cited as "one of the world's greatest living pianists". Arnaldo was appointed Artistic Director for Portland Piano International in late 2012; 2013-14 was his inaugural season in this role.